Universal coupling device

ABSTRACT

A coupling device of two aligned halves: a vertical half comprising a sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on a vertical member for relative movement vertically up and down and turnably horizontally in two of three axes of movement; and a horizontal half arranged longitudinally normal to the vertical half and comprising a hollow mounting with oppositely disposed flared ends, a horizontal housing vertically pivoted in said mounting and extending beyond said flared ends for providing additional horizontally turnable movement, and a rod rotatably mounted longitudinally in the housing for relative movement turnable about its longitudinal axis, the last of the three axes of movement. A locking device of two halves has its two halves respectively fixed to adjacent ends of the halves of the coupling device. One of the halves of the locking device includes a horizontally transverse locking bolt, and the other half of the locking device includes a closable slot complementary to said locking bolt for pivotally receiving said bolt and thereby providing additional up and down turnable movement. The rod is also longitudinally slidable in the casing and is oppositely biased by springs therein to dampen stresses imposed in the direction of tow on the respective halves of the coupling device and included locking device. A take-up reel and an eye are respectively mounted on the separate halves of the coupling device and a fairlead provided therebetween for help in aligning the coupling device halves. The coupling device thus makes double provision for movement in two of the three axes of movement and single provision in one of the axes.

1 UNIVERSAL COUPLING DEVICE Werner F. J. Freitag, 3 Albert Road, Longdown Estate, Somerset, Republic of South Africa A [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 192,121 g [76] Inventor:

[52] 11.8. C1. 114/235 R, 280/477 [51] Int. Cl B63b 21/00 [58] Field of Search 114/235 R, 235 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,651,778 3/1972 Derecktor 114/235 R 2,798,448 7/1957 Hale 114/235 R 1,618,401 2/1927 Baer 114/235 A 3,257,986 6/1966 Glosten 114/235 R 2,331,567 10/1943 Pettigrew-Smith. 114/235 R 3,461,829 8/1969 Mosvold 114/235 R 3,430,601 3/1969 Thompson 1 14/235 R 3,515,090 6/1970 Chambers 1 14/235 R Primary ExaminerDuane A. Reger Assistant Examiner-Jesus D. Sotelo Att0rney.larnes E. Lake, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A coupling device of two aligned halves: a vertical half comprising a sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on [111 3 3,742,892 [451 July 3,1973

a vertical member for relative movement vertically up and down and turnably horizontally in two of three axes of movement; and a horizontal half arranged longitudinally normal to the vertical half and comprising a ho]- low mounting with oppositely disposed flared ends, a horizontal housing vertically pivoted in said mounting and extending beyond said flared ends for providing additional horizontally turnable movement, and a rod rotatably mounted longitudinally inthe housing for relative movement turnable about its longitudinal axis, the last of the three axes of movement. A locking device of two halves has its two halves respectively fixed to adjacent ends of the halves of the coupling device. One of the halves of the locking device includes a horizontally transverse locking bolt, and the other half of the locking device includes a closable slot complementary to said locking bolt for pivotally receiving said bolt and thereby providing additional up and down turnable movement. The rod is also longitudinally slidable in the casing and is oppositely biased by springs therein to dampen stresses imposed in the direction of tow on the respective halves of the coupling device and included locking device. A take-up reel and an eye are respectively mounted on the separate halves of the coupling device and a fairlead provided therebetween for help in aligning the coupling device halves. The coupling device thus makes double provision for movement in two of the three axes of movement and single provision in one of the axes.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 UNIVERSAL COUPLING DEVICE The invention relates generally to universal coupling devices and more particularly to coupling devices having more than a single means for providing freedom of relative movement of closely coupled objects in a majority of the three axes of movement.

Universal joints are old in the art and include ball and socket joints, and interconnected annular objects in which each intersects the annular space of the other. These devices have proven satisfactory for coupling small objects, but efforts to adapt these couplings for use with large objects of the magnitude of ocean-going vessels has not been proven feasible economically or mechanically.

The inventions main utility at present is for closely coupling large marine vessels for towing purposes, and the invention will be hereinafter described in connection with this use. However it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a coupling between two large masses of the magnitude of marine vessels that will space the vessels apart a fixed distance while permitting each to move independently in the three axes of movement nautically referred to as axes of roll, pitch and yaw.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling that makes double provision for movement in a majority of the axes of movement.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to following specification, claims and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the horizontal half of the invention along sectional lines 1-1 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the horizontal half of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a connecting end view of the horizontal half of the invention,

FIG. 4 isa side view of the vertical half of the invention,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the vertical half of the invention taken along section lines 5-5 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a connecting side view of the vertical half of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 16, the coupling of the invention comprises two halves; a horizontal half 10 and a vertical half 12. A locking device comprising complementary halves l4 and 16 cooperate to lock together the coupling halves I0 and 12 and thereby couple the respective objects to which they are attached.

Referring to FIGS. 13,the coupling horizontal half 10 comprises a horizontal mounting 18 with oppositely disposed flared ends 20 and 22. Mounting 18 is fixed adjacent an edge of one of the objects 24 and 25 to be coupled. In the coupling of ships it is fixed in the bow of a towed ship. A cylindrical housing 26 is pivoted in the mounting 18 by vertical pivots28 and 30 adjacent the outboard end 32 of said housing 26. The flared ends 20 and 22 of the mounting l8 permits the pivoted housing 26 limited swing in the axis of yaw (see FIG. 2). The housing 26's outboard end is partially closed with a depending circular flange 38, and the inboard end 40 is closed.

A tubular member or rod 42 is slidably and rotationally mounted in cylindrical housing 26. It is supported therein by depending flange 38 of the housing 26 and an inboard end flange 44 on the tubular member 42. A helical spring 46 is mounted in compression in the annular space 47 defined between the flanges 38 and 44 and between the tubular member 42 and the housing 26. A second spring 48 is mounted in compression in the cylindrical space 49 defined by the housing 26 between the end flange 44 of the tubular member and the closed end 40 of the housing 26. The springs 46 and 48 oppositely bias the tubular member axially with the stronger spring 46 that exceeds in ultimate compression the maximum force to be exerted against it plus the opposing force of spring 48. Thus the compression to which spring 46 is subjected never should exceed its ultimate compressive strength.

The outboard end 50 of the tubular member 42 is tapered and projects outward beyond the flanged end 32 of the housing 26. A bar 52 is mounted in the tapered end 50 and in extension thereof. A horizontally transverse coupling bolt 54 is mounted in bar 52. The bar 52 and the coupling bolt 54 constitute the half 14 of locking device. A shackle or eye 56 is fixed to the tubular member 42 at the junction of the tapered end with the bar 52. The tubular member is adapted to rotate in the axis of roll and to limited movement in the direction of tow and oppositely as dampened by springs 46 and 48.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the coupling vertical half 12 comprises a circular vertical member 58 fixed by an end 60 to anadjacent part of thesecond object 25 or to the stern of a towing ship. A circular sleeve 64 is slidably and rotationally mounted on vertical member 58 and is adapted to slide up and down and turn thereon in the axes of of pitch and yaw. Similar mirror image walls 66 and 68 are spaced peripherally apart to define a vertical space 69 therebetween and are parallelly fixed to the sleeve 64 and extend the approximate length of the sleeve. The walls 66 and 68 are slotted to define in combination a horizontally transverse slot 70 adapted to receive the coupling bolt 54 therein, the bar 52 being received in the space 69 between said walls. A bifurcated locking lever 72 is pivoted by pivots 73 to said walls in line with the slot 70 and between it and and the sleeve 64. Two curved arms 74 are fixed to the bifurcated locking lever 72. With the pivots 73 as a center and with a minimum radius equal to the distance therefrom to tangent with the outboard periphery of transverse slot 70, the curved arms 74 swing into and out of vertical channels 76 and 78 similarly curved in walls 66 and 68 defining the outboard periphery of transverse slot 70. The walls 66 and 68 are spaced apart at least the thickness of the bar 52 and beveled inwardly to lead bar 52 into the vertical space 69, and round transverse coupling bolt 54 into circular in cross section transverse slot 70. When the locking lever 72 is lowered the curved arms 74 enter int channels 76 and 78 and lock the coupling bolt in said transverse slot. The locking lever 72 is weighted by a weight 80 fixed near its free end to bias said lever downward. The locking lever is raised to open said transverse slot to the passage of the coupling bolt.

A take up reel 82 is also pivoted by pivots 84 between the vertical walls 66 and 68 and above the transverse slot 70 and pivots 73. A fairlead 85 is wound on reel 82. A hook 86, adapted to fit in shackle or eye 56, is fixed to the free end of the fairlead and cooperates therewith to guide said bar and coupling bolt into space 69 and slot 70 respectively. The vertical walls, locking lever,

curved arms, reel and fairlead constitute the other half 16 of the locking device.

In use, the locking lever 72 is raised, the fairlead 85 is unreeled and the hook 86 fixed to its free end engaged in shackle 56. The fairlead is reeled in on reel 82 to lead the bar 52 and transverse coupling bolt 54 respectively into space 69 and slot 70 as described above. The locking lever is then lowered to close slot 70 behind the transverse coupling bolt thereby locking the halves 14 and 16 of the locking device together and also the attached intermoving halves l and 12 of the coupling 9.

From the above description it is evident that two objects or two ships are held apart for a distance variable only by less than the length of the tubular member 42 plus the length of the projecting bar 52 depending upon compression of damping spring 46 by towing or other stresses tending to separate the coupling. The horizontal half 14 of the coupling provides freedom of relative motion in the axes of roll and yaw, and in limited movement along the line of tow. The vertical half provides freedom of relative movement in the axes of pitch and yaw. The halves in combination through the locking device 13 provides additional freedom of relative motion in the axis of pitch. Thus the coupling provides double means for freedom of relative motion in the axes of pitch and yaw and single means in the axis of roll.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved universal coupling for connecting two objects in a fixed space relationship, said objects remaining free for relative movement within said relationship in three axes of movement, roll, yaw and pitch, and comprising: a pair of elongated intermoving means, one of said pair of means, having vertically concentric parts, for fixing vertically by an end of an inner concentric part to one of said objects, and adapted for its other concentric part to intermove relatively therewith in two of the axes of movement, those of pitch and yaw, and the other of said pair of means, having horizontally concentric members for fixing horizontally by an outer concentric member to an adjacent part of the other of said objects, and adapted for its other horizontally concentric members to intermove relatively therewith in two of the axes of movement, those of roll and yaw; and locking means having complementary parts respectively fixed to said pair of elongated intermoving means and adapted for transverse horizontal pivoting engage ment of said complementary parts for locking their attached elongated moving means together and for providing for relative movement therebetween in one of said three axes of movement, that of pitch.

2. An improved universal coupling as described in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of elongated intermoving means comprises in combination: a cylindrical member, having oppositely disposed ends, mounted vertically by an end on one of said objects; a cylindrical sleeve adapted to slidably and turnably fit on said cylindrical member and mounted thereon free to intermove between said oppositely disposed ends to carry therewith one of said pair of complementary locking means in two of said axes of movement, those of pitch and yaw.

3. One of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 2 wherein one of said pair of complementary locking means comprises: opposed parallel walls peripherally and longitudinally mounted on said cylindrical sleeve and spaced transversely apart, said parallel walls defining in combination a horizontally transverse coupling slot bisected by the space between said spaced apart walls, and two parallel vertical channels respectively tangent to the outboard half of said coupling slot, a bifurcated locking lever pivoted to said parallel walls and having outwardly projecting coupling arms complementary to said vertical channels and adapted to fit therein to close said coupling slot when said bifurcated locking lever is pivoted downward, and to open said slot when pivoted upwarded.

4. One of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 3 wherein said bifurcated locking lever is weighted on its free end to bias said lever downward to close said coupling slot.

5. One of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 3 wherein said walls are tapered outwardly a reel is mounted for rotation therebetween and above said coupling slot, and a fairlead wound on said reel with a free end for attachment to lead attached objects toward said coupling slot.

6. An improved universal coupling as described in claim 1 wherein the other of said pair of elongated intermoving means comprises in combination: a hollow mounting, having oppositely disposed flared open ends and defining a longitudinally horizontal passageway therebetween, fixed to the other of said objects: a cylindrical housing means pivoted longitudinally adjacent its out-board end in said hollow mounting for movement in one of the three axes of movement, that of yaw, a tubular member or rod slidably mounted in said housing means for rotational movement therein to carry there with the other of said pair of locking means in one of the three axes of movement, that of roll.

7. The other of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 6 wherein the other of said pair of complementary locking means comprises: a longitudinally projecting member fixed to the outboard end of said tubular member and a coupling bolt adapted to fit in a coupling slot transversely mounted in said projecting member.

8. The other of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 7 wherein said outboard end of said tubular member is tapered and an eye or shackle is mounted thereon.

9. The other of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 6 wherein said cylindrical housing means is closed at its inboard end and has a radial inwardly extending flange at its outboard end for slidably supporting an end of the tubular member projecting therefrom.

l0. Cylindrical housing means as described in claim 9 wherein said tubular member has a radially outwardly extending flange at its inboard end for slidably supporting said tubular member in said cylindrical housing in combination with said radial inwardly extending flange of said cylindrical housmeans, said flanges in combination defining an annular space between the tubular member and said housing means and the closed end of said housing means, and said radial flange of said tubular member defining a cylindrical space therebetween; and springs respectively mounted in said annular and cylindrical spaces oppositely biasing said tubular member to dampen forces tending to break the coupling.

6' i i I 

1. An improved universal coupling for connecting two objects in a fixed space relationship, said objects remaining free for relative movement within said relationship in three axes of movement, roll, yaw and pitch, and comprising: a pair of elongated intermoving means, one of said pair of means, having vertically concentric parts, for fixing vertically by an end of an inner concentric part to one of said objects, and adapted for its other concentric part to intermove relatively therewith in two of the axes of movement, those of pitch and yaw, and the other of said pair of means, having horizontally concentric members for fixing horizontally by an outer concentric member to an adjacent part of the other of said objects, and adapted for its other horizontally concentric members to intermove relatively therewith in two of the axes of movement, those of roll and yaw; and locking means having complementary parts respectively fixed to said pair of elongated intermoving means and adapted for transverse horizontal pivoting engagement of said complementary parts for locking their attached elongated moving means together and for providing for relative movement therebetween in one of said three axes of movement, that of pitch.
 2. An improved universal coupling as described in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of elongated intermoving means comprises in combination: a cylindrical member, having oppositely disposed ends, mounted vertically by an end on one of said objects; a cylindricAl sleeve adapted to slidably and turnably fit on said cylindrical member and mounted thereon free to intermove between said oppositely disposed ends to carry therewith one of said pair of complementary locking means in two of said axes of movement, those of pitch and yaw.
 3. One of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 2 wherein one of said pair of complementary locking means comprises: opposed parallel walls peripherally and longitudinally mounted on said cylindrical sleeve and spaced transversely apart, said parallel walls defining in combination a horizontally transverse coupling slot bisected by the space between said spaced apart walls, and two parallel vertical channels respectively tangent to the outboard half of said coupling slot, a bifurcated locking lever pivoted to said parallel walls and having outwardly projecting coupling arms complementary to said vertical channels and adapted to fit therein to close said coupling slot when said bifurcated locking lever is pivoted downward, and to open said slot when pivoted upwarded.
 4. One of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 3 wherein said bifurcated locking lever is weighted on its free end to bias said lever downward to close said coupling slot.
 5. One of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 3 wherein said walls are tapered outwardly a reel is mounted for rotation therebetween and above said coupling slot, and a fairlead wound on said reel with a free end for attachment to lead attached objects toward said coupling slot.
 6. An improved universal coupling as described in claim 1 wherein the other of said pair of elongated intermoving means comprises in combination: a hollow mounting, having oppositely disposed flared open ends and defining a longitudinally horizontal passageway therebetween, fixed to the other of said objects: a cylindrical housing means pivoted longitudinally adjacent its out-board end in said hollow mounting for movement in one of the three axes of movement, that of yaw, a tubular member or rod slidably mounted in said housing means for rotational movement therein to carry therewith the other of said pair of locking means in one of the three axes of movement, that of roll.
 7. The other of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 6 wherein the other of said pair of complementary locking means comprises: a longitudinally projecting member fixed to the outboard end of said tubular member ; and a coupling bolt adapted to fit in a coupling slot transversely mounted in said projecting member.
 8. The other of said pair of complementary locking means as described in claim 7 wherein said outboard end of said tubular member is tapered and an eye or shackle is mounted thereon.
 9. The other of said pair of elongated intermoving means as described in claim 6 wherein said cylindrical housing means is closed at its inboard end and has a radial inwardly extending flange at its outboard end for slidably supporting an end of the tubular member projecting therefrom.
 10. Cylindrical housing means as described in claim 9 wherein said tubular member has a radially outwardly extending flange at its inboard end for slidably supporting said tubular member in said cylindrical housing in combination with said radial inwardly extending flange of said cylindrical housmeans, said flanges in combination defining an annular space between the tubular member and said housing means and the closed end of said housing means, and said radial flange of said tubular member defining a cylindrical space therebetween; and springs respectively mounted in said annular and cylindrical spaces oppositely biasing said tubular member to dampen forces tending to break the coupling. 